Puzzle.



No. 879,316. I PATENTED FEB. 18, 1908.'

J. H. PRBNTIGEL' PUZZLE. nrmourox rum) we. 14.1906.

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No. 879,316. PATENTED PEB.18, 1908. I. H. PRENTIOB.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION rmm we. 14. 1906.

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JOHN H. PRENTICE, OF GLENDIVE, MONTANA.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1908.

Application filed August 14. 1906. Serial No. 330.576.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known'that 1, JOHN H. PRENTIOE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glendive, in the county of Dawson and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Puzzle; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to games or puzzles of that class in which balls or spheres are transferred from one compartment to another; said compartments being provided with ports or openings that are located in such a manner as to make it difiicult to cause the balls to enter therein.

The invention has for its object to simplify and improve the construction and operation of this class of devices; and with these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved game or puzzle. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Upon a base 1, which may be of wood or other suitable material, are mounted two circular strips of material 11 and 12, suitably spaced apart and forming pens or compartments the strips or walls provided with apertures or port holes 10, 10, which are preferably so disposed as to face in different directions, preferably at right angles to one another or approximately so. i

The pens or compartments, which are designated 6 and 6 are surrounded by a wall formed of a figure 8-shaped strip 14 which is spaced from the strips forming the construction and to strengthen the walls, but

also to obstruct the view of the annular passages through which. the balls or spheres are to be conducted from one pen to the other, in the conduct of the game, thus increasing the difficulty of working the puzzle, and correspondingly increasing the interest of the same.

Any desired number of balls, 9, may be placed in one of the pens or passages, and the game consists in tilting or manipulating the device so as to cause all the balls to travel from one pen to the other; this being obviously rendered difficult by the peculiar shape of the passages and by the peculiar disposition of the ports or apertures opening into the pens.

What is claimed is.

A puzzle of the character described, comprising a base, circular strips mounted upon the base, and forming open-topped ballcontaining pens or compartments, said strips having ports facing at right angles to one another, a figure 8-shaped strip surrounding the pens and forming therewith, annular passages, communicating at the exact center of said figure-S-shaped strip, balls in said passages, and a cover for the annular passages to obscure the balls from view.

In. testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. PRENTIOE.

Witnesses E. J. CRULL, CLAUDE PARKER. 

